Zipchat includes WhatsApp on every plan: try the 7-day trial with your own customer questions
If you want a Shopify WhatsApp chatbot that answers product questions and order-status requests, Zipchat is worth a trial. Its pricing page (checked November 2, 2026) lists WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, email and API access on all plans, so you do not need a higher tier just to switch WhatsApp on.
- What the AI does: answers product questions from your catalog, looks up order status and tracking for Shopify orders, hands conversations to your team
- What it costs: from $64 a month billed annually, based on how many AI replies you use (750 on the entry plan), with a 7-day free trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee
- What is billed separately: WhatsApp message fees come from Meta, not from Zipchat
If your customers also message you on Instagram, that is covered in Zipchat Instagram DM. This guide stays on WhatsApp.
What the Zipchat AI does on WhatsApp
It handles two jobs well on paper: product questions and order status. From Zipchat's WhatsApp page (checked November 2, 2026):
- Product questions: answers about sizing, availability and shipping time from your product catalog. The page also describes recognising products from photos and transcribing voice notes before replying in text.
- Order status: on Shopify, it asks for the order number and email, then returns the status and a tracking link.
- Handoff: conversations that need a person are escalated, and your agent joins the live thread with the full history.
On Shopify, the catalog and orders sync automatically once connected. Cart recovery messages, order-placed messages and standard order lookup are Shopify-only features; on other platforms, conversations, AI answers and broadcasts still work. For how order lookups work, see Zipchat order tracking.
Pricing: reply allowance first, Meta's fees second
You pick a Zipchat plan by how many AI replies you expect each month. WhatsApp itself does not change the plan price.
| Plan | Billed annually (per month) | Billed monthly | Replies per month | Extra replies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | $64 | $80 | 750 | $49 per 250 |
| Pro | $240 | Not shown | 3,000 | $49 per 250 |
| Scale | $480 | Not shown | 6,000 | $49 per 250 |
| Scale Plus | $960 | Not shown | 14,000 | $49 per 500 |
Source: Zipchat pricing. Every plan has a 7-day free trial, and the page promises a full refund if you contact support within 30 days of your first payment. Annual billing is shown as 20% cheaper than monthly. For how to size a plan, see the Zipchat pricing guide.
WhatsApp message fees are set by Meta. Zipchat's pricing and WhatsApp pages both say they are billed by Meta separately from your Zipchat plan. Meta's platform pricing page explains the model:
- You are charged per delivered message
- The rate depends on the recipient's market and the message category: marketing, utility, authentication or service
- Service messages, and utility messages sent in reply to a customer, are free inside the 24-hour customer service window that restarts each time the customer writes
- Messages within 72 hours after a customer contacts you from a Click-to-WhatsApp ad or a Facebook Page button are not charged
Exact per-message rates are listed by market on Meta's page, so look up the countries your customers are in. An AI that answers shoppers who write to you mostly operates inside the free service window. Messages that you start, such as promotions, are the ones that fall under marketing rates.
Setting it up: connect Shopify, then authenticate WhatsApp
Zipchat's WhatsApp page says setup takes under 30 minutes on Shopify, with no developer needed. The sequence:
- Start the Zipchat free trial (use the link in the next-step section below)
- Connect your Shopify store, which syncs the catalog and orders
- In the Zipchat dashboard, authenticate your WhatsApp Business account
- Teach the AI your shipping, returns and sizing answers
- Decide how you will collect opt-ins. Zipchat's page says collecting them is your responsibility and that it sends only to your opted-in list
The WhatsApp connection depends on your Meta Business setup: account verification, the phone number you use and any review time are shown in the Zipchat dashboard and Meta's own screens. Check those in your own Meta Business account rather than relying on a guide.
Handoff and keeping control of replies
Decide how much the AI sends on its own before the first customer writes. Zipchat's WhatsApp page describes:
- Escalating conversations that need a person, with the full history visible to your agent
- Taking over any conversation yourself from the inbox
- Draft Mode, where your team approves each AI reply before it is sent
A cautious start is Draft Mode for the first week or two, then widening what is sent automatically once the answers look right. Handoff settings are covered in Zipchat human handoff.
What to test in the 7-day trial
Use real questions from your inbox and watch how many AI replies they use. Try these five:
- A sizing or material question
- A stock or restock question
- An order status request with order number and email
- A returns or exchange question
- A case where the customer asks for a human
Count the AI replies those conversations consumed, project that to a month, and compare with the allowance: is 750 enough, or do you need the 3,000 on Pro?
Explore Zipchat's 7-day free trial
FAQ
Do I need a higher plan for WhatsApp? No. Zipchat's pricing page lists WhatsApp on all plans.
Does Zipchat pay for WhatsApp messages? No. Zipchat says WhatsApp message fees are billed by Meta, separately from your plan.
Is there a free trial? Yes, 7 days on every plan, plus a 30-day money-back guarantee from your first payment.
Does it work outside Shopify? Conversations, AI answers and broadcasts do. Order lookup and cart recovery are Shopify-only.
Which languages does the WhatsApp AI answer in? Zipchat's WhatsApp page does not list languages. Test it in the languages your customers use during the trial.
Next step: run five real questions through the Zipchat trial
Pick five questions from your last month of messages and run them in the 7-day trial. Count the replies used, check the handoff, and choose the plan from that.
| Plan | Monthly (USD) | AI replies/month |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | $80 | 750 |
| Pro | $300 | 3,000 |
| Scale | $600 | 6,000 |
Pricing source · 2026-10-03
Official sources checked on November 2, 2026
